Decorative openwork transparent screen and a process for producing same

ABSTRACT

A decorative openwork transparent screen characterised in that the screen comprises a textile support of closed mesh type fabric, whose mesh rows and weft rows are provided with a coating of a polymerisable binder; and the mesh rows and weft rows receiving printing.

[0001] The present invention relates to a decorative openwork transparent screen and a process for producing a screen of this type.

[0002] There are already various techniques for outdoor screens, which are employed for outdoor decorative use. These screens for outdoor use are constituted by flexible openwork supports which are not products intended for obtaining effects of transparency. Their permeability simply has the objective of making them less sensitive to the effects of wind and thus of diminishing the risk of destruction in the event of severe winds. In general, these supports are open fabrics, of polyester fibres, coated with PVC in a discontinuous manner. The coating closes the fabrics and stabilises them whilst leaving openings which are not covered. Another technique consists in coating the thread with PVC before the weaving operation and carrying out weaving which is more or less tight, and therefore more or less transparent. It can also be closed by heat treatment. However, the effect of transparency is still not desired in this case.

[0003] For inscription or decorative purposes, these PVC coatings are compatible only with ink-jet techniques using oil-based, solvent-based or pigment-based inks, that is to say, which are water-insoluble. However, such supports used as indoor screens have a number of disadvantages. Aside from the fact that they are only slightly transparent, because they have insufficient openwork, they are in general too heavy and incompatible with water-based inks which would be more economical and would in particular offer a more extensive range of colours than oil-, solvent- or pigment-based inks. Finally, they often have a semi-gloss appearance which reveals the planimetry faults of the screens used.

[0004] The object of the present invention is to develop a light decorative screen for indoor use, which is printable and semi-transparent, whilst remaining flexible and thin in order to facilitate printing, shaping and transport as well as the use thereof; it must be extension-resistant in order to remain flat and compatible with printing techniques, in particular with water-based inks; it must at least be easy to manufacture and also fire-resistant.

[0005] To this end, the invention relates to a decorative openwork transparent screen for indoor use, characterised by:

[0006] a textile support of closed mesh type fabric whose warp rows are composed of mesh rows and whose weft rows are composed of threads. These two rows are provided with a coating of a polymerisable binder,

[0007] the warp rows composed of meshes and the weft rows composed of threads receiving printing.

[0008] This textile screen has the advantage of being openwork and therefore semi-transparent. It is light and compatible with water-based inks. Its production is particularly simple since it does not require the production of a hem and can be used as it is. It is simply necessary to cut the support to the size of the screen. The screen can be fixed to a frame to form a support. It can also be simply suspended, preferably with a weighted lower edge. According to the type of thread and knitting of the closed mesh screen, a semi-rigid textile is produced and will remain completely flat when it is suspended in a weighted state. The degree of transparency is determined according to the closeness of the mesh and weft rows and the nature and the diameter of the threads.

[0009] The printed surfaces and thus the percentage of restitution of the printed images will be complementary to the degree of transparency, that is to say, the closeness of the mesh and weft rows.

[0010] In a particularly advantageous manner, the binder is polymerisable by heat. This binder is preferably melamine-formaldehyde or acrylate. If the screen must have non-inflammability characteristics, it is possible to produce a coating containing a phosphorus-containing compound.

[0011] In the case of a suspended screen, it is advantageous for the mesh rows to correspond to the vertical direction of the screen.

[0012] Finally, the invention also relates to a process for producing an openwork decorative screen for indoor use, this process being characterised in that a textile support is produced from closed mesh type fabric, a coating of a polymerisable binder is applied to it on the warp or mesh rows and the weft rows without closing the openings between the weft rows and the warp rows, the coating is polymerised and the ink is applied by means of an ink-jet printing process.

[0013] The present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a portion of a decorative screen according to the invention, drawn to a greatly enlarged scale,

[0015]FIG. 2 shows schematically the process for producing the screen,

[0016]FIG. 3 is a detailed view, drawn to a greatly enlarged scale, of a portion of a closed mesh textile support,

[0017]FIG. 4 shows a copy of an example of a screen according to the invention on a scale of 1/1,

[0018]FIG. 5 shows a copy of another example of a screen according to the invention on a scale of 1/1.

[0019] According to FIG. 1, the invention relates to a decorative openwork transparent screen which is intended mainly for indoor use. This screen is composed of a textile support 1 which is formed by warp rows LC and weft rows LT. The warp rows are constituted by meshes closed by threads which are introduced into the meshes and which join the adjacent warp rows, thus forming weft rows LT.

[0020] The warp rows LC and the weft rows LT are covered with a coating of a polymerisable binder which is represented by its contour 2. After polymerisation of the coating 2, the printing is applied to the support. The printing marks 11, 12, 13 are represented in a hatched manner. These printing marks are produced with printing inks of different colours, preferably water-based inks, applied by an ink-jet device.

[0021]FIG. 2 shows schematically the process for producing an openwork decorative screen of this type. According to the process, a first step 10 consists in producing a textile support of closed mesh type fabric which is formed by warp mesh rows LC and weft rows LT.

[0022] Subsequently in a second step 11, the fabric I is coated with a polymerisable binder. This polymerisable binder is preferably polymerisable by heat. The polymerisation is effected in step 12. The binder used is preferably melamine-formaldehyde or acrylate and it optionally contains a phosphorus-containing compound to fire-proof the support, if necessary.

[0023] After polymerisation, the printing operation is carried out by applying printing by means of an ink-jet depending on the desired pattern (decoration/inscription). Finally, after the printing operation, the screen is mounted either in the form of a suspended screen, with a weight in the lower portion thereof, or by stretching the screen on a frame.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a textile support of closed mesh type fabric. The warp rows LC are formed by meshes and the weft rows LT are formed by threads which are introduced, as shown in the drawing, between the meshes of a warp row, and which then join a subsequent warp row by means of a weft row in order to return to the first warp row.

[0025] The imbricated work of a plurality of threads forming the weft rows which are introduced into the warp row meshes ensures that the meshes are closed.

[0026]FIG. 4 shows a copy of an example of a screen according to the invention drawn to a scale of 1/1.

[0027]FIG. 5 shows a copy of another example of a screen according to the invention drawn to a scale of 1/1.

[0028]FIG. 4 is a photocopy of a screen produced according to the invention drawn to a scale of 1/1. The closed mesh fabric has a basis weight of 180 g/m² and has an empty space level of 22 %. This percentage represents the surface area of the “holes” relative to the surface area of the material. Colour printing has been carried out. This is represented by the ranges of levels of grey on the copy. Although this photocopy of a screen has been taken on a white base, it shows the quality of the decoration and the printing that can be obtained.

[0029] In fact when the screen is stretched over an empty space, the base is generally darker than the white base which has been used for the photocopy so that the legibility and the quality of the appearance of the decoration are remarkable.

[0030]FIG. 5 shows another example of a screen, also photocopied on a scale of 1/1, in the case of a fabric having a basis weight of 116 g/m² and an empty space level of 42 %.

[0031] The two examples show the sharpness of the printing obtained and the very good legibility thereof. The coating surrounding the warp and weft rows without closure of the spaces between the rows complies with the proportion of empty space which it is desirable to obtain for the permeability of the screen. This permeability is indispensable according to the invention even for uses of indoor screens, when they are suspended in zones which can be zones having air circulation brought about, for example, by forced ventilation of buildings. The lack of closure is clearly visible because of the printing marks both of the squares of colours and of text which appear only on the warp and weft rows. 

1. Decorative openwork transparent screen for indoor use, characterised by a textile support of closed mesh type fabric whose warp rows are constituted by meshes and whose weft rows of introduced threads are provided with a coating of a polymerisable binder, the mesh rows and the rows of introduced threads receiving printing.
 2. Screen according to claim 1, characterised in that the binder is polymerisable by heat.
 3. Screen according to claim 2, characterised in that the binder is melamine-formaldehyde or acrylate.
 4. Screen according to claim 1, characterised in that the coating contains a phosphorus-containing compound.
 5. Screen according to claim 1, characterised in that the mesh rows correspond to the vertical direction of the screen.
 6. Screen according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower edge is weighted.
 7. Process for producing a decorative openwork screen according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a textile support is produced from closed mesh type fabric, a coating of a polymerisable binder is applied to it on the mesh rows and the rows of weft threads without closing the openings between the rows of weft threads and the mesh rows, the coating is polymerised, ink is applied by means of an ink-jet printing process. 